Mining machine



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N ww@ c@ 'z 1924. I Y wlw@ v M. W. MUEHLHAUSER MINING MACHINE Filed Feb.1; 1922 n 3 sheets-sheet 2 M. W. MUEHLHAUSER v MINING MACHINE I FiledFeb. 13, i922 t 3 Patented Oca/'7, v1.9.24. I, i i

UNITED srarsfATENTQFHCE, "l

MARTIN W. MUEHLHAUSER, F CLEvELAlfl'D, 0R10, ASSIGNOE 0F :FW-,FIVE ONE-H'UNDREDTHS T0 SHERMAN W. SCHOFIELD, 0F QLEVELAND, 6h10.

1 MINING MACHINE.

Application led ljebruary 18, 1922. Serial No. 535,985.

, To all whom 'it may concern: ers through a swiveled chute 7 at therear Be it known that I, MARTIN W. MUEHL- endof the carriage into a pitcar 8 running 55 HAUSER, a citizen of the United States, resion a track9 or to one side ofthe track 9. dent of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga,and The entire mechanism is .driven from a re' State of Ohio, haveinvented new and useful' versible motor 10 mounted on a platform 11Improvements' in Mining Machines, of carried by the carriage 1 at therear end which the following is a specification, the thereof. y 6oprinciple of the invention being herein ex- `On the drive shaft of themotor v1s a worm l plained and the best mode in which I have 12, meshingwith 'a worm gear 13 fixed to 10 contemplatedv applying that principle,so as cross shaft 14. Adjacent itsend and'outto distinguish it fromother inventions. side the framework of the carriage 1, the My inventionrelates to mining machines shaft 14 has fixed thereto a sprocket WheelA65 and has for its object to provide a machine over which sprocketwheel, and a sprocket capable of removin coal directly from the Wheel 16fixed 'to a. second cross shaft 17, 15 wall of the mine in Iurnps ofsubstantial size runsa sprocket-chain 18. Looselymounted and further todeliver the coal so removed On the opposite end of the shaft 14 is asecto the rear of the machine for removal from ond sprocket wheel 19,having on the outer 70 the mine. face thereof clutch teeth 20. Keyed tothe The annexed drawings and the following shaft 14 outside saidsprocket wheel19 is a 20 description set forth in detail certain meansslidable 'aw clutch member 21 which may be embodying my invention, thedisclosed thrown into or out of engagement with the means, however,constituting but one of the Wheel 19 by means of the lever 22. Running75 various mechanical forms in. which the prinover the sprocket 19 andover a sprocket 25 ciple of the invention may be employed. carried bythe conveyor drive shaft 26 over In said annexed drawings: which theendless conveyor 6 runs at its rear Fig. 1 is a side elevation of themachine end, is a sprocket chain 27. from the side on which thecontrolling levers The operation, of the conveyor 6. can be 80 aremounted, showing the cutter in engagestopped at any time by operatingthe lever ment with the mine wall and a pit car in 22 to throw out theclutch member 21. 30 position to receive the coal. The cross shaft 17has loosely Amounted Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the forward thereon .asleeve 28 carrying at one end the end of the machine showing theendlessI cut- Sprocket4 29 and. at its other. end the jaw 85 ter chainand open supporting frame thereclutch member 30. At the forward end ofvfor, the picks for breaking down the coal, the carriage 1 is a crossshaft 31 for driving and the gearing for driving -the cutter chain thecutter chain 4 and for actuating the and swinging thecutter framevertically. gearing for swinging the cutter frame 2.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the forward The shaft l31 has fixedthereto at .its outer 90 v portion of the machine. end a sprocket wheel32. A sprocket chain Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of the driving 33 runsover the sprockets 29 and 32 to drive motor and gearing and controllingclutches the Shaft 3l from the shaft 17.

for driving the various parts of the machine. Keyed to the shaft 17linside the clutch y Figs. 5 and 6 are detail Views of the cutter member30, is a shiftable clutch member 34 95 chain. provided with'a bell crankshifter 35 con- In the accompanying drawing the manected by alink 36with a lever 37 mounted 45 chine comprises a tractor carriage 1, carryonthe side of the carriage 1. By shifting ing at its forward end avertically swinging the lever 37 *die shiftable clutch member 34 cutterframe 2 carrying a cutterchain guide can be thrown into or out ofengagement 100 portion 3 upon which travels an endless cutwith clutchmember 30 to drive the shaft 31 ter chain 4. Beneath the frame 2 issus-.from the shaft 17 or to disconnect the shaft pended a receiving chute5,which is pivoted 31 from the shaft 17.

to the forward end of the carriage 1, and de- Loosely mounted on theshaft 17 is a gear livers to an endless conveyor 6, which expinion 38carrying onone face a jaw clutch 105 tends lengthwise ofthe carriage 1.and delivmember 39 and meshing with'a similar gear pinion 40 on acountershaft- 42 below the shaft 17. Fixed to the countershaft 42 is--asprocket 43. The rear axle 44 of the carriage 1 on which are mounted thetraction wheels 45, has fixed thereto a sprocket 46. Running oversprockets 43 and 46 is a sprocket chain 47 to drive the axle from thecountershaft 42. Opposed to the clutch .member 39 is a shiftable jawclutch memi' chain and conveyor while the carriage is stationary. 'lohold `the carriage against movement the traction wheels. are providedwith brake shoes 52 of a well known type operated by the usualyconnections (not shown). j

The front wheels 53 of thel carriage 1 are mounted upon steeringknuckles 54 having rearwardly extending arms 55 connected by a crosslink 56. The cross linkv 56 is connected by means of a short link 57 tothe worm segment 58 pivoted to the/fixed cross bar 59. The worm segment58 is engaged with a worm 60 carried by the cross shaft 61. Outside theside frame of themachine the shaft 61 has fixed thereto a bevelpinion 62which meshes with a similar pinion 63 on the end of a rearwardly.l andupwardly extending shaft 64. 'The shaft 64 has a bevel pinion 65 at itsupper end meshing with a bevel. pinion 66 carried by the shaftk 'of ahandiwheel 67. By turning thevhand wheel 67 the link 56 can be shiftedto the right or left to turn the front wheels 55 to the' desired angle.

.- formed. thereon clutch teeth 74.

As clearly Shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 the frame 2 is pivoted upon theshaft 31.

rlhe cutter chain 4 is driven by vmeans of a sprocket 68 about which thechain runs. The, sprocket 68 is loosely mounted on an upright shaft 69journaled in a bearing member 70 centrally supported on a crossplate 71extending transversely across the swinging frame 2 closely adjacent toand parallel with'the shaft 31. The shaft 69 is driven from the shaft 31by means of intermeshing spiral' gears, the gear 72 being fixed to thecentral portion of the shaft 31 and the gear 73 bei-ng fixed to thelower end of the shaft 69 below the cross plate 71. rllhe upper face ofthe sprocket 68 has Splined upon the shaft 69 above the sprocket 6 8 isa' complemental clutch member 75 having teeth engageable witlrthe teeth74 on the sprocket 68. rllhe clutch member 75 is engaged by a forkedlever 76 pivoted at 77 on a bracket 78 fixed to the cross plate 71. The

Macnee.

outer endof the lever 76 is connected at its outerend by means of a balland socket joint 79 to the upper end of a link 80 which is pivotallyconnected at its lower end to an arm 81 fixed to a shaft 82 whichextends rearwardly'along the side frame of the' machine to adjacent therear end of the machine; the shaft 82 has fixed to the rear end thereofan operating lever 83. By means of the lever 83 the lever 76 may berocked about its pivot 77 to lift the clutch member 5 out of engagementwith the clutch teeth 74 on the sprocket 68 and release the sprocket 68to stop the cutter chain 4. The outer end of the lever 76 extendsdownwardly .and rearwardly so that when the clutch member 25 is inengaging position the ball jointV 79 is positioned substan-v tially atthe pivotal axis of the frame 2.

By reason `of this arrangement the swing-.r

ing movement of the frame 2 simply turns the. lever 76 on the ball endof the link l80 without shifting the lever 76 on its pivot 77 orrotating the shaft 82.

ln addition to providing means for manually 'disconnecting the cutterchain from its drive shaftli have provided means for automaticallyreleasing .the clutch member 75 When the cutter frame 2 has reaqhed itsuppermost position so. that the cutter' chain is not driven during thelowering of the frame .2. 'lio this end I have mounted a 'bracket 84 on'the forward end -of the side frame of the machine. rlFhe bracket 84 hasan arm 85 projecting forwardly into the path of movement of the arm 76outside the pivot 77. The arm 85 carries set screw 86 engageable with ablock 87 on the arm 76. By ad'usting the set screw 86 the elevation atwhich the cutter chain is disconnected from its drive shaft maybe'v'aried. 'llo hold-the clutch'7 5 out of engagement during thelowering ofthe .frame the friction of the operating connections is suchthat the clutch 7 5 when lifted will not drop back into engagement bygravity.

rihe fra-me 2 has fixed thereto a' rack sec- 'tor 88 with which meshes apinion 89 fixed on a cross shaft 90. Loosely mounted on the cross shaft90 is a worm gear 91 carrying on one' face a jaw clutch member 92.Splined to the shaft 90 is an opposing shiftable jaw clutch member 93.For shifting, the clutch member 93 is provided with a bell crank shifter94 connected by a link 95 to a'crank arm 96 fixed `to the rearwardlyextending shaft 97 upon therear end of which is fixed the operatingliever 98.

rllhe worm gear 91 and pinion 89 may be driven in either direction fromthe shaft 31, according to the direction of rotation of the motor 10,through a verti'cal countershaft 99 carried b-y a cross plate 100.011the carriage. rllhe countershaft has fixed to its upper end a worm 101meshing with thev worm gear drum 104 by 91 and is driven from the shaft31 by means of intermeshing spiral gears 102 and 103 fixed tothe shafts31 and 99, respectively.

`he shaft 90 is rovidedwith a 'brake drum 104, carrying a ,rake band 105which is anchored at one end `to the frame of the machine by'means of alate 106. The brake band 105 is tightened or loosened on the means of ashaft 107 having oppositely threaded 'portions screwed into the ends ofthe band. The shaft 107 is turned to tighten or loosen the brake band bymeans of a crank arm 108 fixed thereto and connected by means cfa link109 with an arm 110 fixed to a shaft 111 extending along the side of themachine. Fixed to the rear end of the shaft lll-is an` operating lever112. When the lever 98 is operated to disconnect the shaft 90 the lever112 will also be operated to'operate the brake so that the cutter framewill be held in fixed position or permitted to fall slowly.

The guide portion 3 of the cutter frame 2,

' is in the form of an outwardly facing channel in which travels thechain 4. The chain 4 is made up of solid cutter bearing links 113 andintermediate links 114. The links 113 are provided at each end with apair `of knuckles 115 for receiving pintles 116. The ends of theintermediate links 114 lit against the outside of the knuckles. -Thepmtles 116 pass-through the knuckles 115 and the ends of the links 114and carry central rollers 117 between the knuckles 115 and upperA andlower rollers 118 outside the links 114. A portion of each of the cutterbearing links 113 is cut away at the inside lower edge at 119 to receivea roller 120. The rollers 117 and 118 run on lthe, web of the channel 3and the rollers 120 run onthe lower flange thereof.

The cutter bearing links. 113 of the cutter chain are solid blocks inthe outer face of each of which is detacliably mounted an outwardly andforwardly extending cutter 121, certain of said -cutters extendingstra-ight forwardly, others being deflected upwardly and othersdownwardly. The upper face of each block link 113 carries an upwardlyand forwardly extending detachable`cutter 122. Certain of `the lastmentioned cutters extend outwardly and others inwardly. The cutters 121clear a channel for entrance of. the frame into the wall and the cutters122 clear a channel for upward movement ofJthe frame.

The guide portion 3 of the cutter frame w consists of a 'channel memberbent to substantially triangular form with its vends terminating justshort of the sprocket 68, providing an open frame `through which coalloosened by the cutters may fall. Mounted on cross members 123 and 124between the opposite runs of the chain .4 vare a plurality ofpneumatically actuated picks .pins 133 in the 'side 'member 34 to drivethe the wall face,

of the guide frame 125 by means of which the depending block of coalpartially severed by the cutters can be broken down into the chute.

The. chute`5 is provided with a widened receiving portion 126corresponding in shape anism, and is suspended from the forward end ofthe machine by means of short link chains 127. T he chute 5 comprisesfront and rear sections 128 and 129 telescopically connected by means ofpins 130 carried by the forward sectionand sliding in slots 131 intherear section.

end. The slots in the plates 132 engage the p ates ofthe lcarriagewhereby the chute has a slidable and pivotal connection with thecarriage.

The lowerV sprocket 134 of the endless 'conveyor 6 is located directlybeneath .the

rearv end of the chute 5 and a xed inclined crosspplate 135 over thelower end of the conveyor prevents leakage of coal between the chute andconveyor.

It will be noted that all controlling levers are mounted' on one side ofthe machine at the rear so that they are all readily accessible to anoperatorstanding beside the machine and that all exposed driving membersare located on the opposite side of the machine s o as not to endangerthe operator or inconvenience him in the operation of the controllingmembers.

The discharge chute 7 has a rigid arm 136' attached thereto on the sideadjacent the controlling levers so that the operator and vslightlyAwider than the cuttmg mech- The rear section 129 has slotted plates 132secured toI its rearcan direct the flow of coal from the conthen beoperated to throw in the-clutch shaft'31 and through the spiral gearsl72 and 73 the cutter chain '4. The clutch lever' 51`will be shifted atintervals to engage the clutch member 48 with the clutch member 39 todrive the axle 44 forward as the cutters clear an opening into the minewall.

If found desirable to obtain greater clearancevin the cut, the handwheel 67 can be shifted from time to time to swing the forward end ofthe machine slightly from side to sideas the cut is made in the lowerportion of the wall face. While cutting into the flexiblemonnectio-n 127between the chute 5 and cutter frame permits the cutter to drop intothechute as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 wit-h forward edge slightlyin advance of the forward edge ofthe chute. The cutter clears an openingthrough which the chute follows. v

When the cutter frame has been entered sufficiently into the lowerportion of the wall face, the lever 98 is operated to engage the clutchmembers 92 and 93 whereupon the pinion 89 operating on the rack sector88 will swing the cutter frame 2 slowly upward.

-As the frame swings upward, the cutters 122 will clear a channel justwide enough for 'the cutter guides 3 leaving a column of coal separatedfrom the wall at the sides and back within the guide frame.vllxneuinatic picks will then be operatedv to break the .coal do'wn intothe chute.

After ythe framen has swung upwardly short distance coal will ow fromthe chute 5 onto the endless conveyor 6. rlhe clutch' ered by reversingthe motor or the clutch lever 98 may be operated to free the clutchmember 93 while the lever 112 is simultaneously operated to apply thebrake. The tension on the brake band will be regulated by the lever 112to control the rate of descent.

l the frame The clutch member 75 will have been disengaged at the upperlimit of movement of 2 by the trip arm 85 and in case the frame 2 islowered by reversing the motor 10 the cutter chains will not be driven.

What l claim is:

1. lln a mining machine, a carriage; a cutter pivotally mounted on saidcarriage; means for swinging said cutter about its pivot; means fordriving said cutter; land means operative upon a predetermined movementof the cutter to disconnect. said cutter from its driving means.

2. ln a mining machine; a carriage; a vertically swinging cutter framehaving a peripheral guide channel; an endless cutter chain mounted insaid channel; a drive sprocket for said chain; means for driving saidsprocket; and means operative upon a predetermined movement of saidframe to disconnect said sprocket from the driving means. Y

3. ln a mining machine,a carriage, a vertically swinging cutter fra-mehaving a' peripheral guide channel; an endless cutter chain mounted insaid channel; a shaft carried by said frame; means for driving saidshaft; a drive sprocket for said cutter chain mounted on said shaft; aclutch for connecting said sprocket to said shaft; manually operablemeans for shifting said clutch; .and means operable upon'a predeterminedmovement of said frame for shiftingsaid clutch.

4; lln a cutting chain for a mining ma.- chine, a series of cutterbearing link blocks, a series of intermediate links connecting saidlinkblocks together, a cutting tool mounted in one edge of each linkblock, a roller pivoted in each block and projecting beyond the oppositeedge thereof; and rollers pivoted in the ends of each block andprojecting beyond the inner face thereof.

5. ln a cutting chain for a mining machine, a support, a series ofsocket blocks, and a series of intermediate link members pivotallyconnected with said socket blocks, 'a cutting tool detachably secured ineach socket block and extending beyond one edge thereof,`the cuttingedges of said tools construct-ed and arranged to cut a passage for saidchain and its support, a roller pivoted in the edge of each socket block`opposite said cutter, and rollers pivoted in the ends of each socketblock and projecting beyond the inner" face thereof, said rollersengaging said support.

6. ln a cutting chain for a mining machine, a series of cutter bearingblocks; a series of connecting links,l a cutting tool mounted in eachcutter bearing block', said tools arranged tocut in advance of saidchain; a series of rollers mounted in said cutter bearing blocks andprojecting from the inner faces thereof, and a series of rollers mountedin said cutter bearing blocks and projecting from the inner edgesthereof.

7. ln a cutter for a mining machine, a channel iron guide; and anendless chain nziounted in said guide, said chain comprising a series ofcutter bearing block links, a series of intermediate connecting links,rollers pivoted in the ends of said block links and projecting from theinner face thereof to engage the web of the channel, and rollers pivotedto edges of the blocks and projecting from said edges to engage a idangeof said channel.

Signed by me this 22nd day of January 1922.

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